1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse Gs Hatchback 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Carlos Ghosn freed from jail after four months

TOKYO — Wearing a mask, cap and what looked like a construction worker's outfit, the former chairman of Nissan Motor Co., Carlos Ghosn, left a Tokyo detention center Wednesday after posting 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail. Although his face was obscured as he left the facility, Ghosn's identity was apparent as he smiled after arriving at a building in downtown Tokyo, having removed his jacket, mask and hat. There was a scramble by media to follow Ghosn after he boarded a small Suzuki van, topped with a ladder, and traveled from the Tokyo Detention Center toward downtown. Motorcycles trailed the van in formation as it passed through city streets to one of the defense lawyer's offices. Ghosn later left in another car, which was mobbed by media. Ghosn, the former head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance was arrested on Nov. 19. He is charged with falsifying financial reports and with breach of trust. The Tokyo District Court confirmed the 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail was posted earlier in the day, after a judge rejected an appeal from prosecutors requesting his continued detention. That cleared the way for Ghosn to leave the facility after spending nearly four months since his arrest. Before his release, Ghosn, who turns 65 on Saturday, issued a statement reasserting his innocence. "I am innocent and totally committed to vigorously defending myself in a fair trial against these meritless and unsubstantiated accusations," he said. A date for his trial has not yet been set. Suspects in Japan often are detained for months, especially those who insist on their innocence, like Ghosn. Some legal experts, including Junichiro Hironaka, one of his lawyers, have criticized the system as "hostage justice," saying the long detentions tend to encourage false confessions. Ghosn's lawyer in France, Jean-Yves Le Borgne, said the lawyers in Japan will be leading the defense but he was in touch with them. "He is catching his breath and settling in," Le Borgne said of Ghosn. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said a presumption of innocence for Ghosn was crucial, while noting the importance to France of the alliance between Nissan and French automaker Renault SA. "It is a good thing that Carlos Ghosn can defend himself freely and serenely, and his release will permit Carlos Ghosn to defend himself freely and serenely," he said. The French government owns about 15 percent of Renault SA, making it an influential voice in the future of the alliance.

Mitsubishi dealers would really like a truck to sell

While Mitsubishi is switching gears to focus on crossovers, that won't address a market that its dealers would like to be in. While answering questions from the press last night, Don Swearingen, executive vice president and COO of Mitsubishi's North American office, mentioned that its US dealers have a pickup truck high on their "shopping lists." In fact, he said that a truck is pretty much at the top. Mitsubishi does already have a small pickup truck it sells in foreign markets, badged as the Triton or L200. However, Swearingen said that just because dealers want a truck doesn't mean it's going to happen, citing various obstacles to bringing one to market. If, for example, Mitsubishi brought over the Triton, the company would have to go through the long, expensive process of certifying it for US safety and emissions regulations, not to mention making sure it fulfilled American buyers' demands. There's also the Chicken Tax, which levees a steep tariff on trucks built outside of the US and imported in. One possible way Mitsubishi could circumvent all of those issues, though, would be to leverage its new partnership with Nissan. Nissan already sells Frontier small pickups in the US, and Mitsubishi could simply redesign that model to suit its style. It's something that both companies are familiar with as well. Mitsubishi previously sold a restyled Dodge Dakota as the Raider, and Nissan allowed Suzuki to rebrand the Frontier to be sold as the Equator for a short time. It would certainly be a quick way to get into the truck market. However, Mitsubishi would also need to decide if such a product would actually be profitable, in addition to satisfying dealers. Related Video:

Refreshed Mitsubishi Mirage hatch and G4 sedan debut in Thailand

After Mitsubishi teased its global compact twins earlier this month, the Mirage hatchback and Attrage sedan — called the Mirage G4 here — greeted the public in Thailand. These appear to be cosmetic adjustments only, Mitsubishi mum so far on any powertrain changes. Both vehicles now wear the Dynamic Shield corporate face with "styling [that] sweeps round from the sides toward the middle of the nose in a protective embrace." At the edges of the red-trimmed grille strakes, restructured headlights now incorporate LEDs. In back, vehicle edges have been drawn more square and vertical. Below the revised taillights, the bumpers feature cutouts at their edges that house reflectors. Interior revisions on all trims include soft-feel cloth for hand-rest areas like the door card, new designs for the front armrests, and a carbon fiber pattern for the gauge cluster background and the window switch panel. Higher trims can be optioned with new seat designs, solid-colored synthetic leather in the sedan, and a mix of fabric and synthetic leather in the hatch, each with complementary piping and stitching. Another new option will be Mitsubishi's Smartphone Display Audio infotainment with a seven-inch screen and compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Both cars expand their color palettes with a White Diamond hue, and the hatchback adds Sand Yellow as well. Wheel designs get in on the upgrades, the hatch benefiting from a 15-inch two-tone, diamond-cut wheel, the sedan wheel coming in a solid silver finish. Assuming engines don't change when the redesigned bodywork goes on sale here, the 1.2-liter three-cylinder with 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque will be our only option, shifting through either a five-speed manual or a CVT.  Featured Gallery 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage Hatch and Attrage-G4 Sedan View 30 Photos Mitsubishi Hatchback Economy Cars Sedan